I just got an email from Amazon Studios. Why? No idea, I've never submitted to their open submission site. But the email stated rather pointedly that they are closing the open submission site permanently. So... the grand experiment is over. They'll be using studio submission policies exclusively from now on.

It was inevitable.

catcon

04-14-2018 06:24 AM

Re: Amazon Studios

Here it is:

Quote:

Amazon Studios
As we have grown and evolved over the last several years, we are making changes to our website and closing our open call for script and concept submissions. As of April 13, 2018, we are no longer accepting submissions. Submissions received will continue to be reviewed and evaluated by Amazon Studios and will be available on our website until June 30, 2018. Thank you all for your contributions.

Amazon Studios Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the open call for submissions ending?

At Amazon we are always reinventing ourselves and looking for ways to become even more efficient and while we will no longer accept new submissions, there are other options.

Submit videos and scripts to film festivals at Withoutabox.com
Sign up at IMDbPro to connect and share your work with other professionals
Publish your videos at Prime Video Direct

I have a script, mini-bible, or video that I was not able to submit, what are my next steps?

While we will no longer accept new submissions, there are other options.

Submit videos and scripts to film festivals at Withoutabox.com
Sign up at IMDbPro to connect and share your work with other professionals
Publish your videos at Prime Video Direct

What happens to the scripts, mini-bibles, or videos I have submitted?

We will evaluate and respond to all submissions. All submissions on your profile will be available for viewing, rating, or downloading until June 30, 2018.

What happens after June 30, 2018?

Submissions will no longer be available for viewing, rating, or downloading after June 30, 2018.

What will happen to Storybuilder?

Storybuilder is still available for customers.

What will happen to Storywriter?

Storywriter is still available to customers in web browser, but will no longer accept script submissions.

catcon

04-14-2018 06:25 AM

Re: Amazon Studios

The cost benefit analysis must have told them it wasn't worth it. Simple as that.

The public forum went as most do, and the public-type of submissions were always a pie in the sky idea anyway.

I would have liked to see the private submission system continue. The third last point in the email seems to offer some hope:

Quote:

Submissions will no longer be available for viewing, rating, or downloading after June 30, 2018.

Those things were available only for the public submissions. However, based on the rest of the notice, they seem to mean that to die off by June 30, too.

Oh well. They're disabling the system for us, but that doesn't mean they won't have all our data stored on-line.

Maybe they simply have enough submissions; they have about 150,000, after all.

It was fun enough while it was up, and it did benefit a few.

I think we have nothing to complain about. Hardly anybody else did anything like it, and it was free, after all.

Fire up those cold email pitches, then, everybody! ;)

catcon

04-14-2018 07:14 AM

Re: Amazon Studios

This is not a disaster. Change is often good.

For instance, it's going to reduce my time-wasting by 5 minutes a day, as I won't be refreshing that darned Amazon Studios profile page to see what stage my submissions are in!

And as for those who mourn the loss of the "free" aspect of this system, you can always saunter over to http://www.scriptrevolution.com, also free, and take charge of your business and marketing processes. After all, AS was a tad passive in that context: You'd submit your work and then wait, and wait, and wait... :(

That being said, some parts of our AS submissions may be worth retaining, and you now have a couple of months to salvage stuff from your profile.

I'd recommend you snag the synopses you've written in your submissions. Those 8000-character text boxes may be the only place you've put in the effort to create a synopsis for your scripts, so you'll want to retain a copy.

Personally, I'm also grabbing those 'Version' or creative notes text boxes because they are a good history of my revisions in my re-submissions, and I worked hard to cram some good marketing verbiage into those 400-character boxes.

For those who used it, you may also want to snag any graphic 'cover images' that you spent time on, and which you don't have local copies of.

hockeyjason

04-14-2018 02:59 PM

Re: Amazon Studios

They optioned one of my screenplays through the open policy in 2012. Then again in 2014. Halfway through the second option they seemed to have lost interest in my project. Also, they stopped optioning anything new through the site.

JD

JeffLowell

04-16-2018 09:01 PM

Re: Amazon Studios

Finally, the professional writers' astroturfing campaign to destroy Amazon Studios has succeeded! VICTORY!

EdFury

04-16-2018 10:50 PM

Re: Amazon Studios

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffLowell
(Post 955676)

Finally, the professional writers' astroturfing campaign to destroy Amazon Studios has succeeded! VICTORY!

I knew it!!!!

docgonzo

04-17-2018 05:28 AM

Re: Amazon Studios

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffLowell
(Post 955676)

Finally, the professional writers' astroturfing campaign to destroy Amazon Studios has succeeded! VICTORY!

Great work!

catcon

04-17-2018 06:39 AM

Re: Amazon Studios

We shouldn't make light of any reduction in opportunities for new or established writers.

But in the end, if the quality of the product were good enough, then no doubt the system would have been preserved.

And this isn't to besmirch the stories by writers who were optioned by AS; good on them, and I hope they enjoyed their option fees. :)

As for me, I appreciated the chance to submit stuff, especially since it was to a company that actually had the money to make the darned movies. Alas, I still have two scripts sitting in 'Evaluating' that, from the sound of things, are definitely going to receive a yea or nay by June. :rolleyes:

DangoForth

04-17-2018 12:35 PM

Re: Amazon Studios

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffLowell
(Post 955676)

Finally, the professional writers' astroturfing campaign to destroy Amazon Studios has succeeded! VICTORY!

Geez, and I was assuming they went into quick shutdown so they would avoid VAN'S BEST FRIEND...